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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Why the Xbox 720 and PS4 will have a RAM of 4 GB

I want 8gb of RAM so we can have for multitasking WITHOUT the compromise of games. I want that when I am in an RPG to be able to check the browser and watch videos of where I am supposed to find certain things.

Or maybe not that much is the RAM is FAST.



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The biggest difference is the length of time between consoles. This gen will be about 3 years longer than any gen before it. So the jump this gen should be at least as big as all the previous gens.

Their will always be room for more memory, that is something that we can not forget. People always think we have reached the magic spot, hell 64KB used to seem like an endless pit. As more innovative uses of the tech are created the need for more memory will develop.

Some have said even PC does not need this. PC is held back by consoles. Current PC tech like six core i7 or FX-8000, coupled with a GTX 680 or a HD 7970 can do much more than what devs are putting out right now. The customer base is just to small. If the next gen consoles have 8GB of RAM that will give devs a chance to utilize what these chips are capable of. If gen 8 consoles last another 8 years, I would expect to see desktop GPU's with near 10 to 12GB of RAM. Remember we will be doing 3D4K and beyond at that point.

IMO data storage and access is the most important thing for these next gen consoles. They need an SSD, and a large pool of low latency, and very fast RAM. Throw in enough eDRAM to frame buffer 1080P/60, and let the CPU and GPU fly. 360 and PS3 use massive amounts of time trying to assist the slow and small amount of RAM they have access to.



Stop hate, let others live the life they were given. Everyone has their problems, and no one should have to feel ashamed for the way they were born. Be proud of who you are, encourage others to be proud of themselves. Learn, research, absorb everything around you. Nothing is meaningless, a purpose is placed on everything no matter how you perceive it. Discover how to love, and share that love with everything that you encounter. Help make existence a beautiful thing.

Kevyn B Grams
10/03/2010 

KBG29 on PSN&XBL

If they have any plans to future proof their next consoles for a 10 year lifespan, I'm guessing it will be 8gb for the 720 and the PS4.



I am the Playstation Avenger.

   

Considering a good number of standard computers have 4GB memory and it is relatively cheap it would make sense. Personally, considering the age of the current systems and the level of development since they were released, i though 4GB should be the bare minimum, especially if they intend on having 6+ year cycle.



Cobretti2 said:
well can you really count the 2GB ram on Wii?

As 1GB is dedicated to OS. Perhaps this will change in the future? Dont know lol.

My guess is somewhere between 2g-4gb. Anything more I don't think is required ATM for a dedicated gaming machine.


Of course you can..  Nintendo is likely just playing it safe right now and will eventually free up some of that ram for games see.



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yea I agree with 4gb. 8gb is simply not feasible looking at what the ps3 does now with 256kb 4gb is 16x that which is rediculous enough as long as they keep the same quality ram



I think 4 GB will be sweet spot for the nextxbox and PS4, but the OS on those system will be huge so I'm guessing 3 GB will be used for games, just my prediction though I could be wrong.



Nintendo and PC gamer

superchunk said:
Salnax said:
Generation Nintendo Sega Sony Microsoft Average
3

4.5 KB

1983

24 KB

1983

N/A N/A 14 KB        1983                  
4

256 KB
1990
+56.8x
7 years

136 KB
1988
+5.6x
5years

N/A N/A

196 KB
1998
+14x
5 years

5

4 MB
8MB Expansion Required
1996
+32x
6 years

5 MB

1994
+37x
6 years

3.5 MB

1994

N/A 4.2 MB
1994
21x
6 years
6

43 MB
2001
+10.75x
5 years

26 MB
1998
+5.2x
4Years
38 MB
2000
+10.85
6years
64 MB
2001

43 MB
1998
+10.23x
4 years

7

91 MB
2006
+2.11x
5 years

N/A

512 MB
2006
+13.47x
6years

522 MB
2005
+8.15x
4 years

375 MB
2005
+8.72x
7 years


8

2 GB
2012
+22x
6 Years

N/A N/A
N/A N/A


The pattern is simplier than you suggest and the Wii to WiiU jump is just as modest as it was previously.

Its roughly a 10x jump in each iteration with the exception of Nintendo, which has moved to a 2x jump. Since both MSony were near .5GB then they will be around 5GB as a best case argument. But i don't think its as linear as this suggests; PS2 to PS3 was larger than 10x.

While I contend the systems will use 4GB as that makes the most logical sense, the rumors currently suggest closer to 6GB as the dev kits have had 8GB reportedly.

The whole idea that 4GB is the sweet spot for gen 8 just kills me.

No gen has ever seen an increase of 1x per year between consoles. Even including the monkey wrench gen that included the Wii, the average is 2.52x per year.

No gen has ever seen a company go more than 7 years between consoles. This gen Microsoft will go at least 8 years. 

The one time a company went 7 years between systems, the next platform had 56x more RAM (I don't see this happening).

Based on history, the changing market, and more current generation, I expect a minimum of a 2x increase in RAM per year between consoles. That would put the PS4 and XB3 at, at least 16x more RAM than the PS3/360. That would put them at 8GB. What I would really like to see is 10GB considering that the next gen consoles will be much more OS heavy, thus allowing plenty of OS overhead, and a true 16x performance increase dedicated to the games.



Stop hate, let others live the life they were given. Everyone has their problems, and no one should have to feel ashamed for the way they were born. Be proud of who you are, encourage others to be proud of themselves. Learn, research, absorb everything around you. Nothing is meaningless, a purpose is placed on everything no matter how you perceive it. Discover how to love, and share that love with everything that you encounter. Help make existence a beautiful thing.

Kevyn B Grams
10/03/2010 

KBG29 on PSN&XBL